Informational counseling for hearing aid users: efficacy assessment of an online material

Author(s)

Pricila Reis Jokura

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Bauru.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB/SDB)
• Defense date: 2013-03-27

Examining board members

Deborah Viviane Ferrari; Regina Tangerino de Souza Jacob; Leandra Tabanez do Nascimento Silva

• Advisor: Deborah Viviane Ferrari

Abstract

It was carried out the elaboration and efficacy assessment of an online multimedia content (\"Listening well, living better\") for informational counseling to new hearing aid (HA) users regarding use and care of their devices. The study included 60 subjects (26 females, 34 males) aged between 29 and 94 years (mean 69,7 years) with sensorineural hearing loss of varying degrees and no prior experience with HA use. Participants were divided (randomization) into control group (n=30), who went through informational counseling session and received written information (HA instruction manual) regarding the use and care of the device, and the experimental group (n=30) who went through informational counseling and accessed the multimedia content. During informational counseling strategies were used to facilitate retention of the information provided. The \"Hearing Aid Probed Recall Inventory - HAPRI\" (Reese and Smith, 2006) was applied to evaluate information recall regarding the use and care of the hearing aids in three distinct intervals: (1) before the counseling session, (2) immediately after the counseling session and access to online content or HA manual and (3) at the follow-up visit - about a week after the HA fitting. Assessment of how participants handled the devices was carried out via the \"Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test - PHAST (Desjardins and Doherty, 2009) in the intervals 2 and 3. These assessments were videotaped and scored by a judge blinded to the distribution of participants in the groups. Participants also completed a questionnaire to evaluate the content displayed in the \"Listening well, living better\" and HA manual. The HAPRI total scores for the three assessment intervals were, in this order: 25,3%, 69,7%, 71,2% (experimental) and 25,4%, 68,1%, 71,7% (control). For both groups the HAPRI total and item scores increased significantly (Friedman test) between intervals 1 and 2 as well as 1 and 3. There was no significant difference (Mann Whitney) in information recall between the experimental and control groups, except for the interval 2, where the control group recalled more information on how to deal with the hearing aid when the device was not in use. The total PHAST scores for the two evaluation intervals were, in this order: 76,6%, 83,1% (experimental), 78,7%, 82,6% (control). A significant increase (Wilcoxon test) for the PHAST total score and for some of its individual tasks were found between intervals 2 and 3. There was no difference in scores between groups. Participants assigned scores above eight (in a scale of 0 to 10) on the help provided by instructional materials in understanding information regarding the use and care of the hearing aids. Highest score was obtained for material online about the content \"manipulation of volume control.\" About 80% of study participants reported that they would like access to HA informational materials via computer, in their homes. In conclusion, the access to an instructional multimedia material did not increase the recall of information regarding the use and care of the hearing aid, neither the device handling skills. The implications for the use of strategies that facilitate comprehension and retention of information regarding hearing aid use and care are discussed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/14326-7 - Informational counseling for adults and elderly hearing aid users: evaluation of the efficacy of an online material
• Grantee: Pricila Reis Jokura
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master